Mom, could you please . . .

My son Brandon's girlfriend, Amarra, had a birthday on Friday.  On the Tuesday before her birthday (that's right, I said Tuesday), Brandon asked if it would be possible for me to make her a bag for her birthday.  Tuesday request . . . Friday birthday.  So I said sure!!

Then, as all you creative types and fashionistas know, what follows next is a laundry list of questions.  What's her favorite color?  Does she like a big bag or small?  Long strap or short?  Yadayadayada.  I told Brandon that I would leave a stack of patterns on my cutting mat and directed him to my stash closet.  He did tell me that Amarra's favorite color was blue, so I put a big post it so he could see the stack marked "light blues" and the stack marked "dark blues".  He was told to pick a pattern and a fabric and meet me at Piece by Piece after work. 

I found out two things about Brandon.  First of all, he has excellent taste.  I thought he would pick out a pattern for a trendy hipster bag or something similar.  Nope, not my Brandon.  He picked out one of the most expensive, most difficult and classiest looking bag in the pile of patterns.  Amy Butler's Sweet Harmony Handbag was his choice.  Good taste, right? 

The second thing I found out about Brandon was that he has expensive taste.  The fabric he chose out of my stash was one of the most beautiful and expensive blue fabrics that was in the pile.  You know, the one fabric that you keep setting aside and say to yourself, "I really have to make something special with that one day."  What's more special than making something for your son? 

Armed with a pattern and our focus fabric, we are standing in Piece by Piece to pick out a coordinating fabric and lining.  With the help of the fabulous Vicki and Lisa, mission accomplished in about two minutes.

Home after our shopping trip, I sat down to read the pattern as I had never made this bag before.  I discovered that it was not going to be difficult, just tedious.  Lots of cutting.  The pattern recommends two layers of fusible interfacing and two layers of fusible fleece.  I checked my supply of both and decided that one layer of each would be fine.  I just chose a heaver fusible interfacing for stability. 

After a total of three hours of cutting and three hours of sewing later, the bag was finished on Friday morning.  Whew!  It was beautiful.

The bag has two wonderful, big outside pockets.  Inside one of the pockets, I put a cell phone pocket.  No girl wants to go fishing around in her bag for her cell phone.  It must be handy.

Inside is two large spaces and of course, a zippered pocket. 

Brandon saw the bag and smiled.  A result worth the fabric, time, and effort.  He was happy with the bag and I even got a "Wow".  He met Amarra and her family for dinner for her birthday.  Brandon gave her the bag and I got a text saying that everyone loved the bag.  Brandon was kind enough to take a picture and send it to me.  Judging by her smile, I think Amarra must love the bag, too.

Happy Birthday, Tim . . . and Thank You

I am in the process of designing and constructing a quilt for my sister, so I have nothing new to report.  I have been working on a few UFOs when I come to a creative block.  I will keep you posted and show some pictures.

So, I will take this opportunity to give a nod to my husband, Tim.  Tim is very supportive of my quilting hobby (more like obsession).  As I am supportive of his biking hobby (also more like obsession).  He doesn't really complain when I come home with an enormous bag of new fabric, as the reverse is true when he needs new biking gear.  I go to quilt retreats.  Tim goes on rides.  Long, long rides.  He has a 150 mile ride for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society coming up in just a couple of weeks.

Recently Tim, turned 50.  (By the way, I am much, much, much younger than Tim.  That's the story I'm going with anyway.)  Brandon and I threw him a 50th Birthday party.  It turned out to be a little larger than expected, and we all had great fun.  We requested that the invitees not bring gifts as we knew Tim would rather enjoy the day with people he cares about than getting more "stuff".  However, he did get one gift from Brandon, which I would like to share with you.

If you have 8 minutes, please enjoy this video that Brandon made for his father for his 50th Birthday.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house.  Those who know Tim know that there is nothing more important in Tim's life than Brandon.  So, for Tim this is the best gift he has ever gotten . . . ever.

So, I post here and now, Happy Birthday and thank you to my husband Tim, for our beautiful son, for our many adventures, and for all he does.